K-State Off to Hot Start in Day One of the Jim Click Combined Events
Apr 05, 2018 | Track & Field
TUCSON, Arizona – K-State got off to a hot start in day one of the Jim Click Combined Events in Tucson, Arizona on Thursday, as all three Wildcats competing positioned themselves in the top-five of their respective events through day one of competition.
Through four events in the women's heptathlon, sophomore Lauren Taubert is in second place with 3,319 points and sophomore Ariel Okorie is in fourth place with 3,268 points, while freshman Aaron Booth is in second place in the men's decathlon with 3,890 points after a spectacular debut.
"They all did a nice job of competing. Both Lauren [Taubert] and Ariel [Okorie] are both ahead of P.R. pace, and with a solid day tomorrow, Aaron [Booth] could P.R. as well," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of the day one performances.
The sophomore duo of Okorie and Taubert made their heptathlon season debuts on Friday, where they wasted no time improving on last year's marks. In the first event of the day, Okorie and Taubert took on the 100-meter hurdles, where Okorie won the event by tying a personal best 13.61, while Taubert placed third with a personal best in 13.92. Okorie's 13.61 was the best in the field, earning her 1,034 points after one event.
Booth, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, had a solid start to the decathlon, finishing in the top three of each of the day one events, including a first-place finish in the men's long jump. Booth got started in the men's 100 meters, finishing second in 11.09, before jumping 7.93m/23-00.75 on his second attempt to win the men's long jump with 821 points. Through two events, Booth was in first place over Cincinnati's Alex Bloom with 1,662 points.
In his third event of the day, the men's shot put, Booth threw 13.19m/43-03.25 on his first attempt to gain the lead through round one of attempts. After fouling on his next two attempts, Bloom was able to reclaim the lead behind a throw of 13.23m/43-05, to place Booth in second.
In the men's high jump, Booth cleared his first two jumps at his opening height of 1.89m/6-02.25 and 1.92m/6-03.50, before missing on all three attempts at 1.95m/6-04.75. Booth earned 731 points and finished third in the event.
Looking to close ground on the leader, Booth capped off his impressive day one with a strong finish in the men's 400 meters, where he finished in second in 49.93 to end the day with 3,890 points, 132 points off Bloom's lead.
After a strong start in the women's heptathlon, Okorie and Taubert fell back of the lead after the women's high jump and shot put. In the high jump, Okorie placed fifth overall with 830 points after clearing a personal best of 1.68m/5-06, while Taubert placed sixth in the shot put behind a throw of 10.88m/35-08.50.
Through three events, Okorie was situated in fourth place with 2,397 points and Taubert was in sixth with 2,372 points, both of which were with 100 points of Jenna Pfeiffer's leading 2,472 points with one event to go.
In the final event of day one of the women's heptathlon, the women's 200 meters, Taubert and Okorie were placed in the second heat, where both runners finished in the top five overall. Taubert wrapped up the day one competition with a second-place finish of 24.35 in the 200 meters, while Okorie closely followed in 25.17 in fourth. The finish put both Taubert and Okorie in suitable positions for day two, as Taubert finished day one in second place with 3,319 points and Okorie is positioned in fourth with 3,268 points. Texas Tech junior Kaylee Hinton leads the women's field with 3,373 points after day one.
For more information on the Jim Click Shootout and Combined Events, click here. Live results will be provided by Finished Results and are available throughout the weekend by clicking here.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Jim Click Combined Events
Roy P. Drachman Stadium
Tucson, Arizona
Men's Decathlon 100 Meter Dash
2. Aaron Booth, 11.09 (.2) (841 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon 100 Meter Hurdles
1. Ariel Okorie, 13.61 (.9) (1,034 pts.) (P.R.)
3. Lauren Taubert, 13.92 (.2) (990 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Long Jump
1. Aaron Booth, 7.03m/23-00.75 (1.3) (821 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon High Jump
5. Ariel Okorie, 1.68m/5-06 (830 pts.) (P.R.)
7. Lauren Taubert, 1.65m/5-05 (795 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Shot Put
2. Aaron Booth, 13.19m/43-03.25 (679 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
6. Lauren Taubert, 10.88m/35-08.50 (587 pts.)
10. Ariel Okorie, 10.06m/33-00.25 (533 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon High Jump
3. Aaron Booth, 1.92m/6-03.50 (731 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon 200 Meter Dash
2. Lauren Taubert, 24.35 (.8) (947 pts.) (P.R.)
4. Ariel Okorie, 25.17 (.8) (871 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon 400 Meter Dash
2. Aaron Booth, 49.93 (818 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Day One Scores
2. Aaron Booth, 3,890 points
Women's Heptathlon Day One Scores
2. Lauren Taubert, 3,319 points
4. Ariel Okorie, 3,268 points
Through four events in the women's heptathlon, sophomore Lauren Taubert is in second place with 3,319 points and sophomore Ariel Okorie is in fourth place with 3,268 points, while freshman Aaron Booth is in second place in the men's decathlon with 3,890 points after a spectacular debut.
"They all did a nice job of competing. Both Lauren [Taubert] and Ariel [Okorie] are both ahead of P.R. pace, and with a solid day tomorrow, Aaron [Booth] could P.R. as well," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Cliff Rovelto said of the day one performances.
The sophomore duo of Okorie and Taubert made their heptathlon season debuts on Friday, where they wasted no time improving on last year's marks. In the first event of the day, Okorie and Taubert took on the 100-meter hurdles, where Okorie won the event by tying a personal best 13.61, while Taubert placed third with a personal best in 13.92. Okorie's 13.61 was the best in the field, earning her 1,034 points after one event.
Booth, a native of Auckland, New Zealand, had a solid start to the decathlon, finishing in the top three of each of the day one events, including a first-place finish in the men's long jump. Booth got started in the men's 100 meters, finishing second in 11.09, before jumping 7.93m/23-00.75 on his second attempt to win the men's long jump with 821 points. Through two events, Booth was in first place over Cincinnati's Alex Bloom with 1,662 points.
In his third event of the day, the men's shot put, Booth threw 13.19m/43-03.25 on his first attempt to gain the lead through round one of attempts. After fouling on his next two attempts, Bloom was able to reclaim the lead behind a throw of 13.23m/43-05, to place Booth in second.
In the men's high jump, Booth cleared his first two jumps at his opening height of 1.89m/6-02.25 and 1.92m/6-03.50, before missing on all three attempts at 1.95m/6-04.75. Booth earned 731 points and finished third in the event.
Looking to close ground on the leader, Booth capped off his impressive day one with a strong finish in the men's 400 meters, where he finished in second in 49.93 to end the day with 3,890 points, 132 points off Bloom's lead.
Solid day for Aaron Booth in day one of the men's decathlon, as he finishes in second with 3,890 points! ??
— K-State Track (@KStateTFXC) April 5, 2018
Men's Decathlon Day One Scores
2. Aaron Booth, 3,890 points
After a strong start in the women's heptathlon, Okorie and Taubert fell back of the lead after the women's high jump and shot put. In the high jump, Okorie placed fifth overall with 830 points after clearing a personal best of 1.68m/5-06, while Taubert placed sixth in the shot put behind a throw of 10.88m/35-08.50.
Through three events, Okorie was situated in fourth place with 2,397 points and Taubert was in sixth with 2,372 points, both of which were with 100 points of Jenna Pfeiffer's leading 2,472 points with one event to go.
In the final event of day one of the women's heptathlon, the women's 200 meters, Taubert and Okorie were placed in the second heat, where both runners finished in the top five overall. Taubert wrapped up the day one competition with a second-place finish of 24.35 in the 200 meters, while Okorie closely followed in 25.17 in fourth. The finish put both Taubert and Okorie in suitable positions for day two, as Taubert finished day one in second place with 3,319 points and Okorie is positioned in fourth with 3,268 points. Texas Tech junior Kaylee Hinton leads the women's field with 3,373 points after day one.
For more information on the Jim Click Shootout and Combined Events, click here. Live results will be provided by Finished Results and are available throughout the weekend by clicking here.
For the latest on K-State track and field follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
Jim Click Combined Events
Roy P. Drachman Stadium
Tucson, Arizona
Men's Decathlon 100 Meter Dash
2. Aaron Booth, 11.09 (.2) (841 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon 100 Meter Hurdles
1. Ariel Okorie, 13.61 (.9) (1,034 pts.) (P.R.)
3. Lauren Taubert, 13.92 (.2) (990 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Long Jump
1. Aaron Booth, 7.03m/23-00.75 (1.3) (821 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon High Jump
5. Ariel Okorie, 1.68m/5-06 (830 pts.) (P.R.)
7. Lauren Taubert, 1.65m/5-05 (795 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Shot Put
2. Aaron Booth, 13.19m/43-03.25 (679 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
6. Lauren Taubert, 10.88m/35-08.50 (587 pts.)
10. Ariel Okorie, 10.06m/33-00.25 (533 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon High Jump
3. Aaron Booth, 1.92m/6-03.50 (731 pts.) (P.R.)
Women's Heptathlon 200 Meter Dash
2. Lauren Taubert, 24.35 (.8) (947 pts.) (P.R.)
4. Ariel Okorie, 25.17 (.8) (871 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon 400 Meter Dash
2. Aaron Booth, 49.93 (818 pts.) (P.R.)
Men's Decathlon Day One Scores
2. Aaron Booth, 3,890 points
Women's Heptathlon Day One Scores
2. Lauren Taubert, 3,319 points
4. Ariel Okorie, 3,268 points
Players Mentioned
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